Former Intel Engineer Allegedly Steals 18,000 Confidential Files Amid Layoffs

In a dramatic turn of events following Intel’s ongoing downsizing, a former software engineer, Jinfeng Luo, is accused of stealing around 18,000 sensitive files from the company. Luo, who had been employed at Intel since 2014, was laid off in July 2024 as part of a wave of job cuts within the company. Prior to his departure, Luo allegedly transferred a large volume of confidential data from his work laptop to an external device, which raised alarms within Intel’s cybersecurity team. Despite initial failed attempts, he succeeded in copying the files to a personal network-attached storage device just days before his termination. Despite multiple attempts to contact Luo, including phone calls, emails, and physical letters, Intel has been unable to reach him. The company has filed a lawsuit seeking $250,000 in damages and the return of the stolen data. This case is not the first instance of data theft at Intel; another former engineer was caught taking confidential files to secure a job at a rival company, Microsoft. This incident further highlights the growing concern over insider threats in the tech industry, especially amid large-scale layoffs and corporate restructuring.